Narses2's Blog - or what I'm slowly making progress on

[zenrat]

I use pencil and i've never had that problem.  If it's complicated (Fields & Meadows splinter for example) I even code it like a paint by numbers set.
What pencil were you using Kitnut?  I use an ordinary common or garden HB but I can see how a coloured pencil might bleed through.

[Old Wombat]

Waxy pencils (like coloured pencils) can also cause the paint to either run off them as it's applied or spread off them as the paints dry.

Graphite can have a similar effect if used too heavily or if a soft "lead" is used.

[NARSES2]

Cheers lads. I was thinking of using quite a soft "lead", think I'll go with HB now. It's over primer and I'll go gently.

Thanks again 

[zenrat]

I hardly put any weight on the pencil.  Basically let its own weight make a mark.  i draw on either light grey primer or white undercoat.

[NARSES2]

Cheers for the tip 

[TheChronicOne]

Definitely. I've been following along. I have all sorts of variety of pencils from way back when I was in 7th grade in "Jr. High School" or "middle school."  I had no idea about using the HD instead of the janky soft faux crap. I penciled the areas around the wing roots on my Tucano and that stuff didn't want to cover up until I forced it to. From now on I'll stick to HB and I can't wait to try plotting my own camo and number coding it.

[NARSES2]

Finely made some progress after a busy 10 days or so.

Got some masking done (not my favourite part of the process) and some painting on all 3 current kits in progress. Also came across 3 kits I'd earmarked for some cross-kitting in order to build 3 aircraft to fit into my alternative Austro-Hungarian Empire scenario. Might actually try and make some progress here.

[NARSES2]

Looking at my Me 509 this morning in order to work out what I was going to do with the third top camouflage colour and noticed a bit of a problem. There's a bit of a rough surface finish on the base RLM 76 in one area where I think the hot weather last week caused some problems. Paint was drying almost as soon as you put it on the model and it looks as though on this particular model that the brush went over these patches and tried to drag some of this semi dried paint back over the surface 

Now at this point I must admit I should have gone "oh booger" and sanded it back to get a smoother surface and started again, or at least that section of the fuselage, and indeed the thought did cross my mind......probably for one whole half second.

Now this is where my thought processes probably differ from a lot of others of you on site. Once upon a time I may well have sanded and started again, but not now. Sorry if it offends but I can quite happily accept "less than best". Why ? Well firstly my eye condition (and I don't want sympathy as it's a fact) causes me quite severe hand/eye co-ordination problems and has for the last few years. This means that I've had to accept that I can't model anywhere as near as well as I did maybe 10 years ago and definitely no where as well as I did when I was in my teens.

This isn't the main reason however. That is that I model for fun and if I start to take it to seriously (and we all have our own definitions as to what that means) I will no longer enjoy it and stop modelling. Therefore I would rather accept "less than best" if that is the mood I'm in and not try to force myself to do something about it. Now this doesn't mean that I don't want to produce a model to the best standard that I can achieve, but it does mean that I have started to live in what is my own "real world" and no longer hold aspirations of quality that I can no longer achieve for various reasons.

So in reality I end up with a model that I personally am happy with (most of the time) because I like it and it has more importantly given me a real sense of enjoyment during the construction of it. Some of these models are good enough, in my view, to put on the S.I.G. stand at a show, whilst others will go in a box in the old coal hole. But and it's a big but, I will have enjoyed making it.

Apologies to some if I appear to be giving up to easily, but this is a purely personal view and one I don't expect most others to embrace, but it was one I just wanted to get down in writing and off my chest rather than constantly seeming to make some minor excuse in my Blog or in the final build posts themeselves.

So that's a long laboured point made and it's back to the modelling 

Chris

[Old Wombat]

 

[Rick Lowe]

+2 

[NARSES2]

Some progress on all 3 models currently in progress 

The Martlet is now ready for her transfers. Real world, straight out of the box.

The Me 509 just needs a little touching up of her green's and then she to can be transferred. I know who she will be serving and indeed have even gone so far as to find the required transfers.

The D.520 can now have her third top colour applied and I'm dabbling with the idea of a fourth ? See how the third looks first though. This ones taking it's time as I'm using enamels. They are White Ensign so dry at about the same pace as Humbrol but it still extends the process a fair bit, especially with a 3 colour top scheme. I looked at the Hataka French WWII paint set at the Northern Show, but whilst I like these sets and their paints in general my old White Ensign Colour Coats range have a lot of life left in them yet and their range is greater with a few more of the interior colours and some external colours you don't see being used that often.  These give you the chance to look at having different schemes for French types dependent on their theatre of operations rather than the standard scheme the French AF seemed to use regardless of where the aircraft was based.

These 3 kits have all reached the painting stage at the same time which is unusual for me. I normally have 3 kits on the go as it means I'm at a different stage with each kit and therefore there's always something to do. Hasn't worked out like that this time for some reason. Hopefully normal service will be resumed with the next batch.

[NARSES2]

Both the Martlet and 509 will start to come alive this weekend as they will start to get their transfers 

The 520 looks as though she will get a fourth topside colour, not sure yet and only in a few places, but probably.

[Radish]

Pink??

[NARSES2]

Not this one Rad 

You have given me an idea for a low level P.R. version however for my "France fights on" scenario. Similar to the "pink" Spitfires. Just wondering what the French P.R. roundels would look like ?

[Rick Lowe]

Not this one Rad 

You have given me an idea for a low level P.R. version however for my "France fights on" scenario. Similar to the "pink" Spitfires. Just wondering what the French P.R. roundels would look like ?

Mamelon Rose, Blanc et Bleu Clair...